Mark Ladwig has paired up with Lindsay Davis in Florida

[Kelvster]

good choice for short program music!

[TAHbKA]

the programme


Ladwig steps out from the 3S, Davis df the throw jump. The spins are out of synch and than back. I'd say for a pair that have been skating for less than a year it's very impressive (recalling Volosozhar's df on throw jumps and explanations one of the partners had to learn all the pair elements technique anew. In their case it was Volosozhar, assume here it's Davis).

[olympic]

Great to see that they already have a comprehensive program in June with so little time together. I hope they get the 3twist down quickly enough to put it in the program.

[aftershocks]

As I said in the U.S. pairs thread, Mark and Lindsay pairing looks very promising. There were some obvious debut performance jitters, and for sure they will be continuing to work on improving their unison on sbs spins (the sequence started out great), and perfecting their difficulty and timing on throws and overhead lifts. They do look good together, and I love their sp music. Looking forward to seeing their fp and to seeing them steadily improve over the course of the season.

[Rock2]

Yes, looks very promising. They both have some nice musicality and express the music similarly. Also looks like they have potential to generate symmetrical lines.
Love love the entrance into the lift. Innovating already! And yeah, good music choice.

My only real concern is that even the 2Tw looks labored. The 3Tw is one of the showcase elements of elite pairs, just like a strong 3A is for men in singles. If you want to be world class you need one that makes a statement, IMHO. I hope they find a way to get some great air on that element. Everything else looks like it will eventually fall into place.

[~tapdancer~]

I think they look pretty good for June and being a new pair. I really like Mark and if he is happy still competing, I wish him the best in his new partnership. Can't wait to see them again in a few months!

[Sylvia]

Quotes by Mark Ladwig and Lindsay Davis after debuting their SP in competition this weekend (from the article link posted here: http://www.fsuniverse.net/forum/show...31#post3602331 ):

“I thought it was a great debut,” Ladwig said. “For us it was more just about going for the elements. There were a few mistakes. With our third week actually skating side by side in the same location, I think we’ve been doing pretty great.”
...
“I was trying to convey it all throughout the program,” Davis said of the routine’s emotion and the duo’s chemistry. “When you get programs that you really connect with and choreography that you really connect with, I love to perform it out on the ice. It’s really an awesome experience.”

Ladwig tweeted on June 19:
"I love using negative energy for positive means. Today's frown I channelled into three split triple twists. Lindsay & my first."

I believe Davis/Ladwig's next scheduled competition is Indy Challenge, August 3-5.

[Rock2]

ok well then...cancel my comment about the 3Tw

[Kelvster]

Just watched the new SP.

Very nice (I would say much better than I expected). Already I enjoy them more than Denney and what's his name

Who knows how far this pair can go ... new beginnings, new possibilities. They are refreshing to watch.

K.

[Allen]

I enjoyed that program far more than I thought I might. The program is a little open for me, but I enjoyed the music and I thought the elements looked pretty good for them to have only been together a short time.

[DaveRocks]

Ohhhh -- very promising, indeed! The entrance to the lift is wonderful. There is some intricate choreography in there, too. I foresee a bright future for them.

[aftershocks]

ok well then...cancel my comment about the 3Tw

Right. For a new pairing, even having a good 2Tw at this stage probably ain't that simple or easy.

Question to those with pairs experience/ knowledge: Isn't it more the timing and the difficulty of gaining enough height to complete 3 revolutions that are the biggest factors in mastering the split triple twist?

I was looking at some old vids of earlier pairs. Gosh the split double twists seemed barely to leave the ground. Wasn't it G/G who first mastered split triple twist, and then the Chinese pairs took it to new and astounding heights?

Lots of good luck to Mark and Lindsay -- U.S. pairs will be exciting to watch (and pairs should have some sparks internationally too) this season. Looks like a lot of black for men, color for women costume themes in pairs right now.

[olympic]

Right. For a new pairing, even having a good 2Tw at this stage probably ain't that simple or easy.

Question to those with pairs experience/ knowledge: Isn't it more the timing and the difficulty of gaining enough height to complete 3 revolutions that are the biggest factors in mastering the split triple twist?

I was looking at some old vids of earlier pairs. Gosh the split double twists seemed barely to leave the ground. Wasn't it G/G who first mastered split triple twist, and then the Chinese pairs took it to new and astounding heights?

Lots of good luck to Mark and Lindsay -- U.S. pairs will be exciting to watch (and pairs should have some sparks internationally too) this season. Looks like a lot of black for men, color for women costume themes in pairs right now.

Are you talking about the split 3twist only? Rodnina/Zaitzev used to do a 3twist but don't recall which type ...

[aftershocks]

Skating historians to the rescue ...

[Ziggy]

For such a short time together, Davis/Ladwig look great.

[Oz_sk8ting_mum]

They look great and for such a short time together, I wish them well

[stjeaskategym]

Lovely program. They look nice together, comfortable. Element wise, they deserve a few months before we really judge that...A few weeks isn't enough for any pair. Still, to be doing a well put together SP already is a good start. I'm just surprised they put themselves out there this early!

[antmanb]

I was looking at some old vids of earlier pairs. Gosh the split double twists seemed barely to leave the ground. Wasn't it G/G who first mastered split triple twist, and then the Chinese pairs took it to new and astounding heights?

G/G actually had a quad twist in their 1987 LP.

I think split triple twists came before G/G but they weren't the same as the ones we see these days. Rodnina and partners I think did triple twists and I guess Babilonia and Gardner did too.

I think a lot of the triple twists in the 80s and before looked like assited lutz jumps more than the twist lifts we see these days where there is a bigger split and a longer delay as the man gets the lady up in the air before she starts to rotate.

I think the Chinese took the theme and ran with it but there were notable split twists from couples before them like Brasseur& Eisler who at some point included both a more traditional split twist and also a lateral twist with a different entrance, maybe an axel or toe-loop type entrance.

[aftershocks]

Thanks for the rundown, antmanb!

Amazing how the sport has evolved in so many ways and stagnated in other ways. The advancement of pairs skating (particularly with overhead lifts and jumps) since the 1960s is especially fascinating.

Thanks also for the link -- Wow GG! Katia's rotations in the quad twist were so fast, and had to be since they apparently didn't focus on developing as much height as we see today in split and lateral twists.

[FSWer]

Any pics of them together?